Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Quebec | Canada Hyperbarics
QC Hospital Only

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Quebec

RAMQ covers recognised conditions at hospital facilities only. Private clinics are not RAMQ-covered.

Quick Answer

Is HBOT covered in Quebec? Quebec has two hospital hyperbaric programmes: Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis in the Quebec City area (home to the largest multiplace chamber in Canada, an 18-person unit, with 24/7 emergency coverage and a Université Laval academic affiliation) and Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (multiplace and monoplace chambers, 24/7 emergency). RAMQ covers HBOT for the 14 Health Canada-recognised conditions at these hospitals with a physician referral. Private hyperbaric clinics in Montreal operate on a self-pay basis and are not RAMQ-covered. The Lévis chamber's 18-person capacity supports critical care and ventilated patients; severe cases from across Quebec and Atlantic Canada may be transferred there.

2

Hospital Programmes

1

Private Clinic

3

Total Facilities

14

Recognised Conditions

Insurance Coverage

Insurance Program

RAMQ

Coverage Type

RAMQ covers recognised conditions at hospital facilities only. Private clinics are not RAMQ-covered.

Wait Times

Emergencies treated immediately at both hospital programmes. Chronic and elective wait times vary; confirm with the receiving programme directly.

Cities with HBOT Access in Quebec

Detailed local guides for each city with HBOT facilities. Each page covers facility contacts, costs, referral steps, and emergency access.

Montreal downtown skyline from Mont-Royal at twilight with the Saint Lawrence River beyond

Montreal

2 facilities

Montreal has two hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilities: Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal provides the RAMQ-covered hospital programme for recognised indications, and Hyperbaric…

View Montreal guide →
Levis waterfront at golden hour looking across the Saint Lawrence to Quebec City and Chateau Frontenac

Levis

1 facility

Levis has one hyperbaric oxygen therapy facility: Hotel-Dieu de Levis operates a RAMQ-covered hospital HBOT programme serving the Quebec City region and…

View Levis guide →

HBOT Facilities in Quebec

Hospital Programmes

Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal

Hospital

Montreal, QC

24/7 emergency.

514-338-2777

Private Clinics

How to Access HBOT in Quebec

Physician referral to a hospital hyperbaric program for RAMQ-covered treatment. Private clinics accept patients directly but treatment is out of pocket.

  1. 1

    Speak with your family physician or specialist about whether HBOT is appropriate for your condition (one of the 14 Health Canada-recognised indications).

  2. 2

    For RAMQ-covered treatment, your physician sends a referral to one of the two hospital hyperbaric programmes: Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis (Quebec City area, large multiplace chamber, 24/7) or Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (24/7).

  3. 3

    Emergency indications are accepted directly through emergency department coordination; both hospitals operate 24/7 chambers capable of handling critical care patients.

  4. 4

    Chronic and elective indications (problem wounds, late effects of radiation, refractory osteomyelitis) are scheduled by the receiving hospital after assessment. Wait times vary by indication and capacity.

  5. 5

    For private-pay treatment, patients can contact a Quebec private hyperbaric clinic directly. Treatment at private clinics is entirely out of pocket; RAMQ does not cover private clinic HBOT.

Emergency Access

Hyperbaric emergencies in Quebec (suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, arterial gas embolism, decompression sickness from diving in the St. Lawrence or recreational diving, severe necrotising soft-tissue infection, severe blood-loss anaemia in a Jehovah's Witness patient) are routed to the nearest hospital hyperbaric programme, Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis serves Quebec City, the Eastern Townships, the Côte-Nord, and parts of New Brunswick; Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal serves Greater Montreal, the Laurentians, and the Outaouais.

Emergency Routing

Call 911 first for any acute medical emergency. The receiving emergency department physician coordinates urgent transfer to the appropriate hyperbaric programme through the regional CIUSSS critical care transport network. The Lévis chamber's large 18-person capacity allows it to receive critical care patients including those requiring mechanical ventilation; Sacré-Cœur Montréal serves a similar role for the western half of the province. For diving-related emergencies anywhere in Canada, the Divers Alert Network (DAN) emergency hotline is 1-919-684-9111 and can advise on the nearest active recompression chamber.

Provincial Health Authority

Quebec's health system is organised through the Ministry of Health and Social Services (Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux), with services delivered by Centres intégrés (universitaires) de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS / CISSS) at the regional level. Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal operates within CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal; Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis operates within CISSS de Chaudière-Appalaches and is affiliated with Université Laval. RAMQ coordinates insurance coverage province-wide.

Recognised Indications

Quebec, like other Canadian provinces, references the 14 conditions identified by Health Canada as accepted indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. These include emergency indications (carbon monoxide poisoning, gas embolism, decompression sickness, gas gangrene, necrotising soft-tissue infections, crush injury and acute traumatic ischaemia, severe blood loss anaemia, intracranial abscess, central retinal artery occlusion, sudden sensorineural hearing loss) and chronic/elective indications (problem wounds including diabetic foot ulcers, late effects of radiation, compromised grafts and flaps, refractory osteomyelitis, thermal burns).

View all 14 recognised conditions →

Important Note

Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis has the largest multiplace hyperbaric chamber in Canada (18 persons), capable of supporting critical care patients including those requiring mechanical ventilation. Private hyperbaric clinics in Quebec are not covered by RAMQ. Canada Hyperbarics has no commercial relationship with the Quebec hospital programmes, with Université Laval, or with the listed private clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, at hospital programmes only. RAMQ covers HBOT at Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis (Quebec City area) and Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal for the 14 Health Canada-recognised conditions with a physician referral. Private hyperbaric clinics in Quebec are not RAMQ-covered.

Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis in the Quebec City area has an 18-person multiplace chamber, the largest hyperbaric chamber in Canada. It provides 24/7 emergency coverage and is affiliated with Université Laval. The chamber's capacity allows it to receive critical care patients including those requiring mechanical ventilation.

No. Private hyperbaric clinics in Quebec are not covered by RAMQ. Treatment at private clinics like Hyperbaric Montreal is entirely out of pocket. Some private extended health plans may cover specific indications; confirm with your plan administrator before booking.

Patients in regions distant from the two hospital programmes (Côte-Nord, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Gaspésie) are coordinated to either Lévis or Montréal through their physician and the regional CIUSSS. For emergencies, fixed-wing or helicopter air ambulance transport is arranged depending on clinical urgency.

Private-pay HBOT in Quebec typically ranges from approximately $175 to $350 per session depending on chamber type and clinical complexity. A full course of 20 to 40 sessions for a chronic indication can total $7,000 to $14,000. Confirm current pricing with the clinic directly.

Quebec references the 14 Health Canada-recognised conditions, which include carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, gas embolism, gas gangrene, necrotising soft-tissue infections, crush injury, severe anaemia, intracranial abscess, central retinal artery occlusion, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, problem wounds, late effects of radiation, compromised grafts and flaps, refractory osteomyelitis, and thermal burns.

Most chronic indications require a course of 20 to 40 daily sessions, with some radiation indications requiring up to 60 sessions. Each session typically lasts 90 to 120 minutes. Acute emergencies may require only one or a few treatments.

Call 911. The receiving emergency department coordinates urgent transfer to the nearest hospital hyperbaric programme, Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis or Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, through the regional CIUSSS critical care transport network. For diving emergencies, the Divers Alert Network (DAN) hotline at 1-919-684-9111 can advise on the nearest active recompression chamber.

Sources & Verification

Last reviewed: 2026-04-23

Last reviewed: April 7, 2026 | Reviewed by: Canada Hyperbarics Editorial Team | Editorial process | Research sources | Counts & methodology

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